So i have a 20 gal fresh water tank and i REALLY want to set up for a male betta......i scrolled though some of the threads on here and there is A LOT of info on here My questions are......

min rec. tank size?
does it need to cycle like a norm aquarium set up?
maint. PWC? how much how offten?
feeding? what to feed and how often?
substrate?
filter...yes/no??
bubbler?
what do i look for when choosing a betta?
planted/unplanted?
lighting requirements

here is what i do know.....male bettas are aggressive and need to be solatary...thats it...

A 2.5 gallon or larger is usually what is recommended. If you have a 5 gallon or larger tank, I recommend cycling it. A cycled tank needs pwc's, the amount depends on your water params. The main food should be a good pellet food and they can also eat freeze dried or frozen bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp. You can use gravel, glass gems or even sand or the tank can be left bare bottomed. A cycled tank will need a filter. You don't have to have an airstone.You can use real or fake plants. If you go with fake, make sure they are silk. Hard, plastic ones will tear their fins. A light for the tank is good. They need a day/night cycle like other fish do. Look for a betta that is active and flaring at the other fish next to him. A bubblenest in their cup is a good sign that they are fairly healthy. Yes, they are solitary and prefer to live alone. I hope this helped. :)

Cycling is not necessary, but very helpful. The bigger the tank, the easier the cycling/cleaning process.

Water changes depends on the size of your tank. Smaller tanks (like 1 gal or so) unfiltered should be changed about every other day. Bigger, cycled tanks have a 20-30% WC weekly.

You can feed him betta based pellet or flake food (make sure that it's for bettas!) as well as frozen/live/freeze dried food as a treat. Usually you feed 2-3 pellets twice a day, making a total of 4-6 pellets a day. You can feed him live/frozen/freeze dried food once or twice a week. Most people also fast their bettas for a day or two to prevent bloat.

Any substrate is fine, as far as I know.

Well, if you want your tank cycled, it would need a filter. But it's not 100% necessay.

I habe no experience with air stones. I've heard that if it's too strong the betta will get stressed.

Make sure that his fins aren't torn or ragged. Most of them lay on the bottom of their cups because the water is chilly, but they should be moving around sometimes. No heavy laboured breathing. Um...eyes should be normal, not cloudy or popping out. Make sure he's not bloated...that's all I can think of.

Bettas like plants or something they can hide in. Silk, live, or plastic. Plastic might tear his fins though, so you should be careful not to pick anything sharp. Run a pair of pantyhose across it, and you can use it if they don't rip.

Bettas just need a natural light cycle. So make sure it's dark during the night so they can rest. Kepp them out of direct sunlight too.

First off, welcome! And good for you for asking questions before you get a betta. You'll soon enjoy the hobby just like the rest of us! :D

2-2.5 gallons.
Cycling depends on how big the tank is, obviously if it's bigger, it need to cycle, I'd say anything from 1-3ish gallons doesn't need to cycle as you'll be doing water changes frequently. WC depend on tank size.
Most bettas eat 2-4 pellets a day, with bloodworms as a treat 1-2 times a week.
Any substrate that isn't small enough the betta will eat and isn't sharp is fine. You can use gravel, sand, marbles, etc..
Filter depends on you, I personally have filters in all my tanks, I just don't like the idea of stagnant water.
Bubbler is optional. Doesn't need it, but it could be okay if it's in the tank.
You want a fish that is active, he's not floating on the bottom, doesn't have clamped fins, the edges of their fins aren't black or rotting, no white stuff on them.
You can have either a planted or unplanted tank. Depends on you. If you go the unplanted route, make sure you have silk plants in the tank so your betta can hide.
Bettas require a day-night cycle so 8-10 ish hours would be okay.

i would prob go with a 2-2.5 gal tank and i do prefer it have filter just because, like saylor, i dont like the idea of stagnet water. ive seen these new tank with different colored LED lights and they look pretty cool but is cool ok for a betta or am i better off just sticking with the norm. white lights?? when i see the bettas in the store, poor guys in those little containers....they usually arent flaring at their neighbor but when i put my finger close to the tank they flare at me. now i use PRIME with my 20gal should/could i use this with the betta aquarium during PWC. i also am thinking about going uncycled due to the tank size

Is it the Hawkeye 360 tank? I had it, but I took it back because I was afraid my cats would get into it lol. But I know people who are using it on and I think they are happy with it. I loved the fact I could change the light with my mood :)

i dont know that brand....i was just at walmart and saw them.....im actually getting this betta for my sons room. the 20 is in there currently and i am enjoying it so much i want to relocate it to the dining room. hes only 4 and enjoys laying in his bed watching the fish and i thought the different colored lights would be cool to him. Dont anyone worry he cant reach the tank and knows not to put anything in/near/around the aquarium...i do all the feeding/cleaning he just looks

I have the Aqueon 360 and I like the lights but they are at the bottom of the tank and are to be used with the airstone and thats what makes it cool looking. I don't use the airstone because I don't want my fish taking a trip down the little tube.

Mine went down the tube, that was the other reason I got rid of it. Actually it is the Aqueon - but I remember seeing Hawkeye on the box, that's why I said that. I think if you put some kind of covering over the hole down the center you'd be fine though. I remember freaking when I left the room and came back to see no betta in the tank. Lifted the tank up and saw him swimming around down there - I almost took it apart lol.